MOSCOW (MRC) -- Axalta Coating Systems, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, has announced that it has successfully completed the previously announced acquisition of U-POL Holdings Limited (U-POL), as per the company's press release.
The acquisition of U-POL, a leading supplier of paint, protective coatings and accessories primarily for the automotive aftermarket, strengthens Axalta's global refinish leadership position and supports its broader growth strategy.
"The acquisition of U-POL is another step in Axalta's growth strategy and strengthens our global leadership position in the refinish coatings segment," said Robert Bryant, Axalta's Chief Executive Officer. "The addition of U-POL's team, industry expertise, and operations strengthen our capabilities and provide a strong platform for future growth. We'll work to make the integration of U-POL as seamless as possible, while maintaining high levels of service to our customers. I'm pleased to welcome our newest team members to the Axalta family and look forward to all we can accomplish together as one Axalta."
U-POL's portfolio of high-quality automotive refinishing products and accessories include fillers, coatings, aerosols, adhesives, and paint related products as well as other automotive aftermarket protective coatings. The addition of these offerings will expand Axalta's addressable market into the important and growing mainstream and economy refinish segments. Axalta will accelerate the growth of U-POL's product portfolios by increasing market access through Axalta's existing sales and distribution channels while leveraging U-POL's distribution channels to extend the reach of Axalta's refinish coatings portfolio to new customers.
As MRC reported earlier, Wanhua Chemical, a global leader in the production and marketing of polyurethanes, petrochemicals and fine chemicals, has recently received the inaugural “Excellence Award” from Axalta. The Excellence Award is given to suppliers, who exhibit progressively exceptional overall quality, service, technology and total capacity performance for three consecutive years or longer. The Excellence Award winner also demonstrates an exceptional commitment to helping Axalta achieve its strategic initiatives.
We remind that in January, 2020 Wanhua Chemical Group disclosed plans for a second ethylene cracker project at its Yantai, China, site with local government officials. The project will include a 1.2-million metric tons/year (MMt/y) ethylene unit; pyrolysis gasoline hydrogenation; aromatics extraction; and production facilities for butadiene, high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene (PE) plastomers and elastomers, polypropylene (PP), and other derivatives. Timing and other details were not disclosed. The second ethylene project will use naphtha and C4s as feedstock.
Ethylene and propylene are the main feedstocks for the production of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), respectively.
According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,176,860 tonnes in the first half of 2021, up by 5% year on year. Shipments of exclusively low density polyethylene (LDPE) decreased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 727,160 tonnes in the first six months of 2021, up by 31% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased. Supply of statistical copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) subsided.
Axalta is a global leader in the coatings industry, providing customers with innovative, colorful, beautiful and sustainable coatings solutions. From light vehicles, commercial vehicles and refinish applications to electric motors, building facades and other industrial applications, our coatings are designed to prevent corrosion, increase productivity and enhance durability. With more than 150 years of experience in the coatings industry, the global team at Axalta continues to find ways to serve our more than 100,000 customers in over 130 countries better every day with the finest coatings, application systems and technology.
MRC